Chapter Twenty: Nightmares Begin (Delrand's PoV)

   I would never understand what went on in her mind but I was glad I didn’t by looking at her now. If she only knew exactly what I felt for her.

   Knelt beside her now wasn’t easy. I could have easily guessed what the fuss was about but I’d prefer to hear it from her instead of finding that I was wrong.

   Let me share it with you, was the last thing I said to her before giving up on getting anything out of her. May be she did want to be alone. Just as I was about to leave, her mind opened up but I kept out as much as possible. Though the desire to feel her mind on mine was so strong I managed not to get too caught up in her feelings.

   Delrand, take me home.

   Shall I take you to my home instead? I asked her subtly. She didn’t answer. I thought it best to take her away for the night. I knew that she’d try to explain everything in a rush of words but I wouldn’t let her ruin herself.

   ‘Elara, don’t try to explain when we’re alone. I’ll listen when you’re ready to talk. Don’t think I want to hear it straight off,’ I told her as I pulled her off the ground and into my arms.

   Appearing beside the bed, I made her sit down; noticing her arms were clenched around her middle, I gently unclenched them for her and took her hands in mine as I knelt on the floor before her. Try as I may to look her in the eyes, she was determined to keep them concealed from me. Her mind wasn’t as detached from me as it was before but she wasn’t thinking anything, just feeling and it wasn’t comforting for me to feel it all through her. It would be so much more easier if she’d tell me everything but to force her seemed harsh and these weren’t times for unkindness. By the way she was I knew she needed more than a shoulder to cry on. Thinking of nothing else I could do, I turned my head to look slightly over my shoulder and paid less attention to her.

   ‘Delrand...’ she finally whispered.

   ‘Yes?’ I asked back gently.

   ‘I’m sorry.’

   ‘For what?’

   ‘For being childish. I don’t know why I ran away.’ Her voice held despair.

   ‘To escape?’ I subtly suggested.

   ‘Probably but there’s a reason.’ Her grip tightened on my hands and her voice stayed steady and unwavering.

   ‘You don’t have to tell me, you’ll only get upset again.’

   ‘Please, I do but you won’t want to hear it.’

   ‘No? I said I’d listen when you’re ready to say it to me.’ I kept my head turned to make it easier for her. If she didn’t see my eyes, she’ll have nothing to fear about hurting me (if that’s what it might do). Though I knew she wanted me to look at her, I kept myself forced in this position. ‘Whether you want to tell me is another matter. Now, I’m thinking it would be better if you didn’t.’

   ‘May be you’re right. I mean, you’re usually right. Oh, I don’t know what to do anymore.’

   ‘Well, I was wrong about thinking you’d be fine through it.’ I put on a smile and looked at her. The tear-streaks had dried and she wore a very thin smile on her lips. Her eyes still glistened with the moistness of her crying. I loved the way she could use her eyes on me. They were beckoning depths of mystery to me. ‘Come here,’ I said as I pulled her off the bed and into my arms again.

   ‘Huh, Delrand, what’s gotten into you?’

   ‘Oh, nothing.’ She looked and leaned away. I kissed her cheek and held her closer. ‘Elara, are you still thinking?’

   ‘Yes, how could I forget it?’ she asked with heavy words. ‘That’s why, if I told you, you’d understand.’

   ‘Any other way I could help you forget?’ Kissing her cheek again, I knew she’d want me to stop but this was all I could do to help her with her trouble.

   ‘Delrand, can we stay here for awhile?’

   ‘As long as you want.’

   The seconds slipped past, the minutes drained by; and when time started to become hours, her eyes closed and her head slowly fell down. Picking her up, cradling her body close to me, I lay her on the bed. In her sleep, she moved onto her side into a ball. Sitting by her feet, I stroked her hair softly.

   A soft tapping resounded on the door. I kissed her cheek gently and, without looking up, strode over to the tapping. Turning around, I looked at her one more time before quietly shutting the doors. We walked downstairs, out the front door and then transforming into eagles, we soared over the land and far away to Stone Henge. It was peaceful for once to not use magic to take me somewhere, I had time to think. I hated leaving her there alone though and I planned to arrive back before she had a chance of waking up.

   Having Oscar next to me was a comfort. Being the youngest, he tended to do twirls in the air; and dive until it was almost as if he would crash into the ground, then he would dramatically recover his free-falling and swoop back up to my level and glide on the air fronts.

*****

   Landing on the grass in the darkness, I took a look at the vicinity and then quickly changed back. Eying Oscar warningly, we walked up to the light of the fire in the distance; softly treading on the grass, trying not to make a sound. The night was quiet, too quiet. Nothing moved in any direction. Not the wind, nor any nocturnal creatures, no owls or bats, no insects humming.

   Walking through the barrier was awkward. The others were stood silently, none of them looked up as we walked into place. I looked worriedly, yet curiously and determined at them all but still they didn’t meet my gaze. Something is wrong, I thought. Trying to find a way to get their attention or for them to come out of their own minds wasn’t difficult. I dimmed the fire down with my mind and then let it erupt into its previous state. Someone quickly gripped my arm forcibly and pulled me into the shadows of the high stones.

   ‘Don’t try,’ I heard Harrod’s voice from the shrouded place before me.

   ‘Why? What’s happened?’ I asked with slight anger in my voice.

   ‘You, that’s what’s happened. They’ve decided that you’re wasting time with your love affair.’

   ‘What affair?! That has nothing to do with our situation. My personal life is none of their business. What I teach her is and she’s learnt almost everything I can teach her.’

   ‘It’s not enough for them,’ he tried to explain but I wouldn’t have it, not off him anyway.

   ‘Where’s Merlin?’ He pointed over my shoulder to the opposite side of the circle. I walked around the outside of the stones, staying in the shadows.

   ‘He told you. I would have done it myself but you definitely wouldn’t have listened to that coming from me,’ he said as I approached him with a normality to my stature.

   ‘Why? I just don’t understand what all this is about.’ I stopped myself from saying anymore, it was hard enough now to keep my anger back.

   ‘Delrand, you of all people should be able to see their viewpoint on the whole situation. You’ve spent too long pushing it away. All they want is for you two to start it up. Start the fighting, is it so difficult?’

   ‘No! I’m not starting anything and I know for certain neither does she. We’re happy as we are and she never wanted any of this anyway. Neither did I, I never asked for you to give me an apprentice. I’m grateful, you don’t know how much, but it was too much of a task and still is. I’ve had enough of the pressures they keep putting on me. All the complaints, they don’t help in the slightest. I’m doing my best to help both sides here but she’s going through more than any of them seem to want to notice. She’s young, too young and you lot just forced a duty upon her like she was nothing. She can’t cope, and I can’t always look out for her. Exactly like now, I should be with her, not here.’

   Then it occurred to me, I could leave. None of the magicians here had any power over me; no authority, not since I left the circle to teach Elara. And right then I thought of her face; her eyes, how they sparkled in the sunlight. The touch of her hands and her lips from all the nights we had spent alone together, all the hours we’d spent together not doing anything or, sometimes, saying nothing. Now it seemed that leaving her alone in my room all that way away was the worst thing I could have done.

   I hurriedly rushed my magic into sending me to her. Away from everyone else and their complaining.

   Back beside the bed, kneeling near her head, I whispered in her ear to wake her. In the dim candle light, I could make out the outline of her face. I magicked the candles to burn brighter, thinking that the sudden glow might pierce through her eyelids and wake her, but to no avail. She could be such a deep sleeper and I had to speak a little louder before she even moved her hand to brush my hand away from her hair.

   ‘Elara, wake up. Wake up, dear,’ I kept repeating over and over in her ear. She wasn’t having it, so I moved my hand to her shoulder and gently pushed her over onto her back. She let out a moan and fluttered her eyes to get rid of the sleep.

   ‘About time. I was wondering whether you’d wake up.’

   ‘What do you want, Delrand?’ she said very sleepily and quietly and almost moodily. I looked at her with complete admiration. ‘Deland, what is it?’ she asked sitting up and looking at my eyes.

   ‘Nothing. I left you to go see them but I’d had enough and realised something...’ I trailed off.

   ‘What? Is it bad?’ She looked down at the space between us. I started to laugh under my breath and pushed my self heftily onto the bed beside her. Turning onto my side, I looked up at her and smiled. ‘What?! Tell me, please,’ she said, turning to kneel above me and putting on a frown.

   I leant up swiftly and kissed her lips softly. Then quickly wrapped my arms around her and pulled her down; while at the same time turning us over so she ended up underneath me. After she had stopped fretting about it and settled down from seeing the look on my face (I was smiling softly and had calmed my stare).

   ‘I wouldn’t hurt you, Elara. You know that.’

   ‘Yes, I know, but it was very surprising. Now, tell me, what did you realise?’

   ‘Alright, I realised how much you mean to me.’

   ‘Oh, and how much is that?’ It was strange; as though she was questioning something, or testing me, but I didn’t mind; at least I was with her now.

   ‘So much that I don’t ever want to leave your side, ever, and I really mean it. I’m not going anywhere without you, nowhere.’

   ‘What? You mean I’m never going to be alone again?’

   ‘Yes,’ I simply replied.

   ‘I quite like the sound of that.’

   ‘Hmmm.’ She just smiled. Are you alright like this?

   Yes, or I would have pushed you off. It was amazing to hear her through her thoughts, I felt more connected to her and we could say anything and no one would be any the wiser.

   True, I replied and leant down to kiss her. Just before my lips met hers, I asked, Do you trust me?

   Of course, she said without hesitancy.

   Are you completely sure about that?

   Completely. As her lips touched mine, I shuffled a bit to make it an easier position for both of us (I had turned onto her a little awkwardly). I could feel the nervousness in her from her lips; they were shaking a little.

   Elara, don’t be nervous. If you want to stop just turn away.

   That’s the thing, I don’t.

   I see. You’re afraid to let me go?

   Yes, and no. I didn’t ask her anything of this. I could feel that she wanted to do something, what I couldn’t tell.

   What do you want to do? I asked finally, with a hint in my words.

   Not that, if that’s what you meant.

   No, I meant you clearly want to do something. Just do it, I wanted her to know I wasn’t trying to overpower her in anyway. That I wasn’t trying to take any dignity or comfort from her. Her mind went quiet and I pulled away from it a little to give her room for thought without my interfering or influence. Gradually putting all my weight onto one hand (I had managed to place them at her sides), I placed the other one under her jaw; hoping that it would help her calm her nerves. Then I removed it and gently ran it down her arm until I found her hand. I entwined my fingers in hers.

   Her free arm wrapped around me just above my waist and I knew she’d found her confidence.

   Better?

   ‘Mmm.’ Much, she mumbled. I let her hand go, then, and softly placed it on her side; she then placed hers around me, like the first time. You know I don’t care anymore. We had to keep up the mind speaking because our lips were too occupied with the others.

   Don’t care about what? I was unsure to what she was referring this to.

   You know... she hinted.

   Oh, well, now I do and I’m not trying to get anywhere near that.

   I know, she sighed in her mind.

   You can understand why. Now, what to do to compensate? She abruptly pulled her lips away, pressed her head firmly down into the pillow and smiled broadly. Or we could compromise? I asked, still lying over her.

   I like the compensating idea. It appeared the rest of her body had gone limp; and at that thought I began to chuckle really low and muffled. ‘What?’ she muttered softly.

   ‘Nothing, nothing.’

   ‘Delrand,’ she said forcibly but playfully.

   ‘Your very still.’

   ‘Well, I can’t be anything else can I,’ she pointed out defensively, though I could hear the sarcasm in her voice.

   ‘Hmm, I don’t know, you could,’ I started to hint back, and then put on a dark smile (the one I knew she liked a lot); and it worked because she laughed a little, then placed her hand on my cheek. It was very settling and relaxing. I closed my eyes and felt her cold skin against mine.

   ‘Delrand, are you alright?’ she asked a little concerned.

   ‘Yes, I’m fine. I just want to be here with you, that’s all.’ I opened my eyes to find hers looking straight into mine. I blinked and then gripped her wrist and started to kiss down the inside of her arm, slowly making my way to her lips again.

   ‘Wait, Delrand. Why did you go?’ she asked. I stopped my lips on her shoulder.

   ‘Why? That doesn’t matter anymore. I’m here now, aren’t I?’

   ‘Yes, but I would like to know. Please,’ she prompted.

   ‘Just some meeting that I had to go to, with the others, but it didn’t turn out the way they planned.’

   ‘Why is that?’

   ‘I came back here and left them to their squabbling. I just couldn’t be there for much longer, not with you on my mind. I had to come back, to see if you were alright. And I wanted to spend this night with you, and every night from now on. It was too much of a good night to waste arguing with them, when I could be here with you and telling you how much I love you and how much you really do mean to me.’ I took in a breath after realising I hadn’t breathed once through all of that explanation.

   ‘I didn’t realise. But you’ve never done or said anything like this before.’

   ‘Because I’ve only just realised it myself. Sorry, if it’s late to be saying this by the way. I should have realised long ago but clearly it just blocked away.’

   ‘No, Delrand, its not late at all. I probably still don’t realise...’ she stopped dead in her words.

   ‘Elara, what were you going to say?’ I asked softly but without hindering her.

   ‘No, forget I was going to say anything. It doesn’t matter.’

   ‘If you say so, darling.’ Her cheeks turned a pale shade of pink in the candle light. It was about time we were like this with each other, and I thought that we should be more open in public. I wondered back to what Merlin had told me before. Maybe we should start to practice a lot more. ‘Elara?’ I started to ask her aloud.

   ‘Yes.’

   ‘Would you practice with me tomorrow?’

   ‘Practice? Practice what?!’ She went rigid and I saw that she took it in the wrong direction.

   ‘Sorry, I meant practice magic with me.’

   ‘Of course. Why all of this now? May I ask.’

   ‘Just something Merlin requested. We should be doing it a lot but we haven’t and it may affect everything.’

   ‘Must you bring that up now, Delrand?’

   ‘I must and we have to.’

   ‘Alright, but can you change the subject now, I don’t like remembering all of that, especially at this time and when I’m alone with you. It can be too much sometimes.’

   ‘I told Merlin that, and loud enough so the others could hear me. They just don’t understand what it’s like for you. And you’re not just a sorceress, I know that, they just chose to see you as one of them over everything else you are.’

   ‘That’s ridiculous. Would they still be there now?’

   ‘I suppose; they may think that I’ll turn up again because I’ve seen some error in my ways,’ I said, mockingly. ‘Why do you ask that?’

   ‘Because it is about time I gave them a piece of my mind.’

   ‘I think you did that last time, but obviously, it didn’t work the way you were planning.’

   ‘Would they listen to me?’

   ‘Some may, some may not.’ I clambered off her and knelt on the covers at the end of her bed, facing her. She sat up, her hands either side of her to keep her upright. I absent-mindedly began to softly stroke her leg with my fingers. ‘You’d have to be very convincing if you want them to back off. And the ones that don’t listen, well, that’ll be because they see themselves as higher than you in rank, of a sort. They will think you are in no position to be telling them anything.’

   ‘But, you’re higher than me, and you listen to me,’ she said, slightly childishly.

   ‘Yes, but that is because I love you, and you’re in my care. And also, you’re my apprentice, so of course I’m meant to listen to you.’

   ‘I love you too.’ She sat up onto her knees, like I was, at the same time coming closer so she could hold my hands in hers. I pulled my hands out of hers then wrapped them round her waist and pulled her closer.

   ‘Would you like to go now or leave it?’

   ‘Which would be best?’ she asked back.

   ‘I’d rather you leave it. I want you here and I wouldn’t like to see you in a state later or tomorrow. Who knows what you could do to me if your anger gets the better of you. You could kill me.’ Her face beheld shock at my words.

   ‘I would never do that to you; nor would I even think about it, just in case I let the magic out.’

   ‘Accidents can happen,’ I teased. ‘So you could, or at the very least, you could do something that neither of us could undo.’

   ‘How could that happen, you know everything about magic and how to manipulate it.’

   ‘Haha, not everything. But I do know more than you, problem is you seem to be able to do anything if you just think about it. I have to sort of form my meaning in my mind, all you have to do is simply picture it or think up the aim of the spell or charm.’

   ‘It doesn’t make any of it easier for me. To me, everything seems so distant, yet so close.’ She sank her chin into the base of my shoulder and then relaxed her neck.

   ‘Elara, it will all turn out fine,’ I tried to reassure her. ‘Trust me, I know what I have to do.’

   ‘And what’s that exactly?’ she spoke with her face still concealed from my view.

   ‘I told you long ago.’ I remembered back to the time when we disagreed on my decision. It was a hard one for me to make but I knew I had to do it. It was the only way for her to succeed. Hating myself for putting her in a position to be seeing all of this happen, I kissed her hair then lay my cheek there.

   ‘You know very well that I won’t let you do that,’ she said, discerned, lifting her head.

   ‘And I won’t let you stop me,’ I retaliated, again placing my dark smile on my lips.

   ‘You’re doing it again.’

   ‘Yes, because I won’t let you change my mind,’ I said still smiling. She pouted her lips, rather childishly but it was rather amusing. I sighed softly and pulled her a little closer so her chest touched mine. I leaned back a little and moved my hands up her back to her hair. ‘Don’t be that way, it makes me think I’ve done something wrong.’

   ‘You know you haven’t,’ she said looking me in the eyes.

   ‘Good, then I can do this.’ I kissed her neck, her jaw and moved down to her shoulder. Then very slowly, gently and smoothly, I placed her back down on the covers and, when she was in place, took her hands, in turn, and put them on my shoulders. Placing my hands on her waist again, I turned us onto our sides, while kissing her lips. I never really meant it to be this passionate, yet it became that and my mind whirled in a mist of adoration. All I felt was her touch; her lips, her hands, her body, her hair as I ran my hand through her long, thick locks. We sank into the moment, neither relinquishing the feeling we held for each other. I let go of all thinking, just falling into her; letting her control my every sensation.

   It seemed as though something had settled in her mind. As though she’d thought something that I’d missed. Forgetting that we were still connected by mind, my thoughts began to wonder (outside of my control) to whether I was experiencing my own sentiment or hers. Without showing it, I subtly pulled away from her mind. Surprisingly, none of my sensed feelings changed. Only then realising that none of this was an illusion (it was all so true), my arms tightened around her. I felt her mind press against mine; I let her in, we just felt the presence of each other in our own. It was as though she wanted to melt her mind into mine, to become apart of me.

   She abruptly stopped her lips, and moved her head to rest on the pillow. Opening my eyes and finding hers, I slowly loosened my arms about her and pulled them round to rest on her waist. Her hands ran down my arms and rested on my wrists. Her mind was still deeply connected to mine. She yawned heavily and I knew she still needed sleep.

   Elara, you’re tired. Go to sleep.

   No, I’m tired but I’m not falling to sleep until you do.

   Why?

   In case you decide to leave again.

A little taken aback, I replied, I told you I wasn’t going to leave. I wouldn’t lie to you and I have no reason for leaving anymore tonight.

   That doesn’t stop me from doubting you.

   I’m... not...leaving, I reassured her. Believe me, please, you’ll never have to doubt again about whether I’m here next to you or not. You’ll have no reasons for waking up thinking I’m not here.

   I don’t wake up in the middle of the night, I always feel when you’re not with me or when you are; but when I wake up in the morning and see you, I can’t help but wonder whether you really ever sleep. That’s another reason I want you to watch you fall asleep.

   Of course I sleep, I wouldn’t be human if I didn’t. What makes you think I don’t? I let my eyes flicker with passion.

   It’s just that you wake up at strange times and, when we first met, you always went at strange times.

   What about those times? I couldn’t quite see what she was getting at.

   They were always the end of the day and night. Dawn and dusk. All I want to know is why?

   I don’t know why, it’s just what I do. I’m not leaving you, I could never do that. What can I do to show you that? I asked. I didn’t want to plead or beg with her but she gave me little choice. Her eyes wondered about the room letting me know she was thinking it through. She sighed deeply and her eyes moistened, sparkling in the candle light.

   ‘You can start by showing me you never leave.’

   ‘And how...’ I began before realising what she was saying. ‘No, I can’t allow you to do that. Now please, sleep. We both need it, I can already feel my eyes becoming heavy with time. I see why you doubt me, why you worry but honestly, there is no need for it.’ I lay there, content that there was all the chance in the world that we may still get through all that was going to happen to us, that we may still be together when all of this was over.

   ‘I know how you feel. I shall sleep but I shall still doubt you staying tonight or that you will sleep with me all through the night,’ she whispered to me, breaking my train of thought. I answered with a smile and closed my eyes convincingly yet I knew she’d doubt me for the most part no matter what I did.

   Sleep, my love, I will stay, I promise. Now sleep. I closed off from her and slipped from her mind.

*****

   I didn’t want to be so harsh to him but I had to know that he wouldn’t ever let me down if ever the time came that I did. Which was probably now if only it wasn’t in my dreams.

   He stood there in the mists atop the hill; a shadowed form of his outline. I stared up despite the chill, and held my posture strongly and began to circle slowly about the hill’s base. On my third circle, I stopped and stared up again. He hadn’t moved though he stared down at me as though I was a small obstacle. He had it very wrong if he thought that, I was going to become his greatest obstacle and I wasn’t going to give up easily.

   Why do you attempt to stop me? he asked as though he had read my mind, though he most probably had already.

   Because you dare to challenge me and Delrand for what we stand for. We won’t stand by while you terrorise my kingdom, I replied with new found confidence.

   It is not your kingdom yet, princess. Though if you wish it do be, I will gladly make that so for you. The deep, throaty chuckling reached my ears on the wind. I snarled as ferociously as I could, which was a bad idea. Do you wish to fight me here, in your mind, behind your weakest fortifications? Without him? If so I will fulfil your wish without any hesitance.

   Do not think me as weak, Mordred. That would be your biggest humiliation. I have never let any man allowance to call me weak and you shall not be the first, I shall make that clear to you before you consider that the case.

   Somehow, during our tensile conversation, I or he had appeared in front of the other. Then I noticed that we stood on top of the hill I had just been looking up at, so I had willed my body to appear there.

   Oh believe me, princess, I shall not consider you weak whatsoever, I shall make that clear to you. You can put your strengths to better use however. I will make you an offer, He paused.

   I shall listen but I do not give you my word that I will take your offer kindly, I clarified.

   Very well. Join me and let your powers become of better use to your future people. Have them fear you because of what you are capable of, because off what you could do to their families and lands if they ever rebel against you. Have Delrand be more proud of you because of what you have managed. You can achieve so much more than what that traitor is teaching you. Once again he paused.

   Delrand is no traitor and he would be very betrayed if I was to ever join you or to use my powers in any way to gain control over my future people. We do not use our powers like that, we wish to use them to better help the people of this kingdom and to protect them from threats such as you. My answer was full of truth yet I couldn’t but briefly be tempted by his offer, after all I was only human even if I could manifest the forces of the mysterious world.

   His teeth bared, he stepped forward with a drowning grace. He is a traitor to those he calls his masters. He is not teaching you quick enough for you to be a true threat to me. Though they want you to be able to truly challenge me, you are barely a child among elders. If you could intimidate their minds and convince them off your true potential, they may allow you to take over without any resistance. Would that not be what you’ve been after all along?

   I smiled slyly at him, smirking. Do you think of me as that low, Mordred? I do not wish to change the things that are barely within my grasp, I do not wish to take over the minds of my fellow magicians, unlike you. I wish to better myself for the greater causes of those closest to me, to protect them when no other way is possible. My thoughts are purely to the truth and they are not blinded by power and evil. His eyes flashed, it reached my gaze across the night-air between us. It was a menacing flash, not like the cooling, settling flash of Delrand’s eyes.

   You are not seeing my point. He stepped back from me, a growl forming at the back of his throat. Delrand fears you. His voice had calmed to the point that he briefly sounded like a mimic of Delrand when he was frustrated. I did not let that blind my judgment for even a second. He does not wish for you to become so powerful that you may, yourself, become corrupted by the temptations it brings. He tries so hard for you to stay at a basic level that your advancement is too quick for his liking. He hides his true intentions and reasons well, too well that it is only I who sees the truth behind his actions. Remember that we were friends once, very close friends, almost like brothers. He makes it sound like I turned my back on him, it was not so. It was he who turned his back on me, he always tried to better me but when he finally knew that was not possible he set me up. He convinced Merlin and the others that it was me who had been reading the dark arts books late at night. It was Delrand who had been doing that. All the while he talked, I watched him closely for any hints that he may be preparing a spell to launch at me at any moment. I wasn’t about to let my guard down when his story sounded so influential, that was the worst thing I could do. He now had his back to me, that seemed a mistake yet he could probably sense my every movement and intention through the thin air about and between us. That time he took you to the school, do you remember he was searching for a book?

   Yes, I remember clearly.

   It was missing. I had managed to smuggle it out and retrieve the page that he seeked so eagerly. I knew that if he got his hands on it then even you would be in danger of the new powers he could gain from the information written upon it. He paused for the final time, then turned to face me once again. His eyes still held the familiar darkness of a poisoned mind.

   I held my ground once again and raised my head to stare directly into his gaze. The crackling that resonated between our minds was blinding but I was reluctant to give into him. It escalated to a point where my head began to feel like it was splitting in two and my brain began to throb agonisingly so. A cold sweat trickled from my forehead to my temples. The electric buzzing reached its peak and he pulled from it, also seemingly pulling my mind from its supports.

   I screamed, unlike how I had ever screamed before. This scream burned the back of my mouth right down my gullet and my chest tried to collapse from lack of air. My body was covered with the same cold sweat I had experienced in my dream; my body shook all over, from my toes to my thighs, from my fingers to my shoulders, up through my spine. My breathing came in rasping gasps and bright lights flashed non-stop before my eyes, which leaked a trailing, unceasing stream of tears that seemed to have been drawn from the same place as my scream.

   ‘Elara! What is it?!’ I heard him shout out to me, his voice full of complete desperation.

   ‘He’s too powerful, he’s too powerful,’ I repeated through my gasps and sobs. ‘It’s ridiculous for me to think I’ll ever defeat him.’ I’d raised my hands to cover my face, to keep my expression hidden from him.

   ‘Who is? What is going on? Dear, look at me, let me help. I can only help you if I know what just happened. Elara, look up.’ His fingers tried to pull mine from my face, I was physically weak to put up any resistance to his attempt; my hands dropped to the covers over my legs. ‘Now, let me help. Tell me why you screamed?’ I kept my head bowed so not to look at him; in return, he didn’t try to force me to look up.

   ‘It was Mordred. We battled mentally in my dream. He’s too strong,’ I repeated. ‘He can cause so much pain and it wasn’t even properly real or physical. You should have heard what he was saying about you, about me, what he tried to tempt me with.’

   ‘I shall hear it in time, if I have your permission that is. For now, I must get you to a safe place. A place you will be more comfortable and confident.’ The covers rustled as he got up off the bed. I watched him as he went round the room blowing out the few candles that still burned. He stepped closer again and held his hands out for me to take. I took them unquestioningly and he helped me stand. I met his eyes in the darkness (after my eyes had adjusted) and we smiled before transporting ourselves away.